Artificial eye

ABSTRACT

An artificial eye includes a frame, an eyeball, a pupil and a magnetic member. The frame defines a substantially spherical-shaped cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity. The eyeball is substantially spherical shaped and rotatably received in the cavity. The pupil is positioned on the eyeball and exposed to the outside of the frame through the opening. The magnetic member is positioned on the eyeball.

CROSS-REFERENCE STATEMENT

This application is related to a co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/342,231, filed on Dec. 23, 2008, entitled “EYE FOR TOY”, invented by TSUNG-YU LIN and CHAU-YUAN KE. Such application has the same inventors and assignee as the present application.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to an artificial eye.

2. Description of Related Art

In order to enhance playing enjoyment, various dolls or robots are provided to simulate human's expressions, such as rotating eyeballs. A typical artificial eye applies a motor to rotate the eyeballs. However, the motor has a large structure, which complicates the structure of the typical artificial eye. In addition, the motor can not flexibly rotate the eyeballs.

Therefore, a new artificial eye is desired to overcome the above-described shortcomings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of one embodiment of an artificial eye.

FIG. 3 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the artificial eye of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, one embodiment of an artificial eye 10 includes a frame 12, an eyeball 14, a conductive wire 32, a first magnetic member 16, a second magnetic member 34, and a plurality of third magnetic members 18.

The frame 12 may be substantially spherical shaped and made of an elastic material. A substantially spherical-shaped cavity 20 is defined in the frame 12 and configured to receive the eyeball 14. An opening 120 is defined on the frame 12 and communicates with the cavity 20. The opening 120 allows a part of the eyeball 14 to be exposed outside of the frame 12. A through hole 30 is defined in the frame 12 and allows the conductive wire 32 to pass through.

The eyeball 14 is substantially spherical shaped and may be made of an elastic material. A diameter of the eyeball 14 is larger than a width of the opening 120. A pupil 26 is positioned on the eyeball 14 and includes a light source 28 positioned therein. In one embodiment, the light source 28 may be a light emitting diode or a plurality of light emitting diodes. The first magnetic member 16 is positioned on the eyeball 14. In one embodiment, the first magnetic member 16 may be a permanent magnet and positioned on the eyeball 14 opposite to the pupil 26.

The second magnetic member 34 may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic member. The third magnetic members 18 are electromagnetic members.

In assembly, the eyeball 14 is rotatably received in the cavity 20, such that the pupil 26 is exposed to the outside of the frame 12 through the opening 120. The conductive wire 32 passes through the through hole 30 and is electrically coupled to the light source 28. The second magnetic member 34 is positioned outside of the frame 12 and aligned with the first magnetic member 16. The second magnetic member 34 attracts the first magnetic member 16 to arrange the pupil 26 in an initial position. The third magnetic members 18 are also positioned outside of the frame 12 around the first magnetic member 16. Each third magnetic member 18 is configured to attract the first magnetic member 16 to rotate the pupil 26 in the opening 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of third magnetic members 18 includes four third magnetic members 18 surrounding the second magnetic member 34.

In one embodiment, a plurality of recesses 122 is defined in an inner surface of the frame 12. A plurality of ball bearings 24 is positioned between the inner surface of the frame 12 and the eyeball 14, and received in the recesses 122. A lubricant member 22 may be positioned between the inner surface of the frame 12 and the eyeball 14.

In use, the second magnetic member 34 attracts the first magnetic member 16 to arrange the pupil 26 in the initial position. If one of the third electromagnetic members 18 is powered on to attract the first magnetic member 16, the pupil 26 would be rotated away from the initial position. When the one of the third electromagnetic member 18 is powered off, the pupil 26 returns to the initial position.

The third magnetic members 18 are positioned around the first magnetic member 16 to attract the first magnetic member 16, so that the eyeball 14 can be flexibly rotated within the cavity 20. In one embodiment, the artificial eye 10 is included in a doll. In another embodiment, the artificial eye 10 is included in a robot.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of its material advantages. 

1. An artificial eye, comprising: a frame defining a substantially spherical-shaped cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity; a substantially spherical-shaped eyeball rotatably received in the cavity; a pupil positioned on the eyeball and exposed to the outside of the frame through the opening; and a first magnetic member positioned on the eyeball.
 2. The artificial eye of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic member is positioned opposite to the position of the pupil.
 3. The artificial eye of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic member is a permanent magnet.
 4. The artificial eye of claim 1, further comprising: a second magnetic member positioned outside of the frame and configured to attract the first magnetic member to arrange the pupil in an initial position; and a plurality of third magnetic members positioned outside of the frame around the first magnetic member and configured to attract the first magnetic member to rotate the pupil away from the initial position.
 5. The artificial eye of claim 4, wherein the second magnetic member is a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic member.
 6. The artificial eye of claim 4, wherein the third magnetic members are electromagnetic members.
 7. The artificial eye of claim 1, wherein the pupil comprises a light source positioned therein.
 8. The artificial eye of claim 7, wherein the frame defines a through hole; the artificial eye further comprises a conductive wire passing through the through hole and electrically coupled to the light source.
 9. The artificial eye of claim 1, wherein the frame defines a plurality of recesses in an inner surface thereof, a plurality of ball bearings is positioned between the inner surface and the eyeball, and received in the recesses; the artificial eye further comprises a lubricant member positioned between the inner surface and the eyeball.
 10. The artificial eye of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the eyeball is larger than a width of the opening.
 11. A doll, comprising an artificial eye comprising: a frame defining a substantially spherical-shaped cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity; a substantially spherical-shaped eyeball rotatably received in the cavity; a pupil positioned on the eyeball and exposed to the outside of the frame through the opening; a first magnetic member positioned on the eyeball; a second magnetic member positioned outside of the frame and configured to attract the first magnetic member to arrange the pupil in an initial position; and a plurality of third magnetic members positioned outside of the frame around the first magnetic member and configured to attract the first magnetic member to rotate the pupil away from the initial position.
 12. The doll of claim 11, wherein the first magnetic member is positioned opposite to the position of the pupil.
 13. The doll of claim 11, wherein the first and second magnetic members are permanent magnets.
 14. The doll of claim 11, wherein the third magnetic members are electromagnetic members.
 15. The doll of claim 11, wherein a diameter of the eyeball is larger than a width of the opening.
 16. A robot, comprising an artificial eye comprising: a frame defining a substantially spherical-shaped cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity; a substantially spherical-shaped eyeball rotatably received in the cavity; a pupil positioned on the eyeball and exposed to the outside of the frame through the opening; a first magnetic member positioned on the eyeball; a second magnetic member positioned outside of the frame and configured to attract the first magnetic member to arrange the pupil in an initial position; and a plurality of third magnetic members positioned outside of the frame around the first magnetic member and configured to attract the first magnetic member to rotate the pupil away from the initial position.
 17. The robot of claim 16, wherein the first magnetic member is positioned opposite to the position of the pupil.
 18. The robot of claim 16, wherein the first and second magnetic members are permanent magnets.
 19. The robot of claim 16, wherein the third magnetic members are electromagnetic members.
 20. The robot of claim 16, wherein a diameter of the eyeball is larger than a width of the opening. 